Serenity rested throughout the onyx corridors and marble halls. Orange beams cascaded through ornate glass. Specks of dust floated lazily in the air. A gentle breeze grazed the castle, birds carried by the currents singing their songs. The world was slowly waking up, greeting the new day. In the midst of it all, tucked away in the library, Eldrin’s head nodded to his chest once again. He rubbed his eyes and adjusted the position of the tome on his desk.

“Nodding off already?” Hadrian asked, peering in through a crack in the doors. “The day has hardly begun.”

“Aye, and Aeliana has already put me to work,” Eldrin responded, suppressing a yawn.

“Regarding the Saint, I presume?” Hadrian asked, fully entering and taking a seat near Eldrin. “Work that the High Priestess tasked her with?”

“As per the usual,” Eldrin said, his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head.

“And why, prey tell, are you so eager to do Aeliana’s bidding?” Hadrian asked, leaning forward and poking Eldrin in the ribs, eliciting an even more aggressive roll of the eyes.

“I am not like the Archmage,” Eldrin scoffed. “I am, however, her student. Her whims become my commands.”

“Those two hags have always been too close,” Hadrian said. “It all reeks of nepotism and abuse of status.”

“I assume you are here hiding from the Commander?” Eldrin asked, closing the tome before him with a sigh and turning to face Hadrian.

“The man lets me know no peace,” Hadrian said, throwing his hands into the air. “If he could he would deny me even the morning dew to quench my thirst.”

“You were aware of what it would mean to enter into the court’s tutelage,” Eldrin said, placing a hand on Hadrian’s shoulder. “As was I. We are walking a thorny path, but it surely ends with our names inscribed in history. Besides, I expect we will not have to wait much longer.” Hadrian perked up slightly.

“What have you heard?” he asked.

“Cedric’s coronation is being planned as we speak,” Eldrin said. “The King’s health is failing fast, and the High Priestess can not stave off the inevitable forever.”

“And what of the Saint?” Hadrian prompted, unconvinced.

“The girl can hardly count four scores,” Eldrin said. “Not to mention how little information exists regarding a lens like hers. I lack any doubt that she will be of great use in the future, but that future is too far away for the King to enjoy.” Hadrian’s eyes narrowed. A smile threatened to tug on his lips, but inevitably a slight furrow of his brow won out. He stood, walking to a nearby shelf lined with books and scrolls.

“Has Cedric spoken to you about his plans?” Hadrian asked, grabbing a scarlet-bound book. He carefully turned the pages, his eyes directed at their contents, but seeing none.

“I believe all four of us are on the same page,” Eldrin said, leaning back. “Supplant the old guard and establish ourselves in their stead.”

“Why do you not say it even louder, I believe not everyone in the castle heard you!” Hadrian hissed, pulling back the book and aiming squarely for Eldrin’s face. “Damn you, Eldrin, we can not afford to be so careless.” Eldrin rose from his seat and walked to his friend, gently taking the book from his hands. He carefully placed it back where it came from, then pulled out a slim green book from the lowest shelf.

“No one comes here save for me and the Archmage,” Eldrin said, opening the book and placing it next to the much larger tome already occupying his desk. He traced his fingers along a page in each, trying to find where their contents matched. Page after page he perused the green book, comparing it to the static page of the open tome. For a few minutes, Hadrian watched him work, but even his mighty patience could only withstand boredom for so long. He started for the door but stopped when Eldrin raised a hand.

“What now?” Hadrian asked.

“I do not want to deal with her alone,” Eldrin said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hadrian’s eyes widened, and as fast as he could move he tried to make his escape from the library. He flung open the door with careless haste.

“Oh, good morning, Hadrian,” Aeliana said, staggering back slightly. “You are just the man I was looking for.” His shoulders slumped as he took a step back, making way for Aeliana to enter the library. She quickly breezed past him and slammed a small but ornate earring down on the desk. “Eldrin, if you inscribe any more of my things I will make sure the Archmage hears of it.”

“And I will tell her that it is merely practice,” Eldrin said, his attention unwavering from the tomes before him.

“Yes, I am sure she will be thrilled to know you are wasting your precious practising time on runes, of all things,” Aeliana retorted.

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“Better than wasting my time doing your work for you,” Eldrin said, his brow furrowing as he tried to maintain his concentration. Aeliana rolled her eyes and closed the books before him.

“I will burn you alive,” Eldrin said, his voice perfectly calm, but his annoyance visible on his rapidly whitening knuckles. “What inane thing do you want from us now?”

“The Saint has gone missing again,” Aeliana said, leaning back against the desk. “The High Priestess is very concerned, although I feel like we should let the child get herself lost and save ourselves some trouble.”

“She is not lost, she is on the third floor,” Eldrin said, turning and looking up at a slight angle. His eyes locked onto a point beyond the ceiling, as a gentle white glow only he could see drifted across the planks. “If I am not mistaken, she is moving to the King’s chamber…” The words hung in the air for a moment, drifting much like the dust, until they eventually settled in each of their minds. Without a word, all three bolted for the door.

The glow continued moving slowly, as its source skulked through the halls. Her ears strained for any sound, even the slightest echoes making her freeze. The castle was starting to bustle with activity, but up here no one dared to cause disturbance. Ducking behind archways and pillars, she pressed forward, her eyes blazing with determination.

Her head swung around, raven locks flitting through the air. Each step took longer than the last as her body grew more and more tense. Any minute now the servants would be crawling all over this floor, and her mission would be for naught. Her small legs began propelling her faster, her bare feet barely audible against the rich carpeting that adorned these halls. Another turn and her goal was in sight.

Enormous doors, each a single carved block from the most ancient of trees, stood before her. Scarlet and golden swirled along the natural grain of the wood. She gently ran her hand over the patterns, surprised by how smooth they felt against her fingers. She pressed harder, pushing her whole palm against the door. Soon her shoulder joined the effort, and finally, the barrier gave. She squeezed through the opening on her toes, entering the darkened room beyond.

The room was lavishly decorated. Thick curtains and tapestries adorned the walls, and every furnishing bore some collection of gemstones and inlays. At the centre of it all, contrasting sharply with its surroundings, was a bed. It had no inlays nor carvings, and yet atop it rested the most valuable and protected entity in the kingdom. An entity that now had its sunken eyes trained squarely on the girl frozen on the tips of her toes, halfway into the door.

“Seraphina, is that you?” The King asked hoarsely. “Come in, my dear, I will not bite you.” She obliged, taking another step into the room and closing the door behind her. “It has been years since I last saw you. Look at how much you have grown!” She did not respond. The colour was washed from her face. “You might not even remember me,” the King said, looking down. “And if you do, it certainly was before I became like this. Come, please, Seraphina, it is hard for me to make myself heard all the way over there.” She obliged, nervously walking towards the King until she was at his bedside.

“I wanted to try to heal you,” Seraphina said, fidgeting beside him. “High Priestess said I was not ready yet, but I heard that you were feeling bad. I wanted to help.” She looked down to the ground. “I am sorry for bothering you.”

“Oh, my child, you are never a bother,” the King said, putting his hand on her shoulder. She looked back up to him, and despite his worn visage, she found some comfort in his smile. “Thank you for thinking of me. You are very kind, Seraphina.” Light returned to Seraphina’s eyes.

“Can I try to heal you?” she asked, taking his hand off her shoulder and grasping it tightly. She took a deep breath to calm herself. “I do not know if I can, but…”

“What is it?” the King asked, his concern for the young girl rising.

“I did not mean to,” she said, her voice catching slightly in her throat. “I promise, I was not trying to listen. I heard High Priestess say that you would not live much longer.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I do not want you to die.” The King sat in awe for a moment taken aback by her words.

“You can try as much as you would like,” he said, closing his fingers around hers. He knew why the High Priestess did not allow this. Nothing was truly understood about Seraphina’s lens. Three centuries and dozens of rulers had come and gone between her and the former Saint.

The possibility of her existence had nearly fallen into the realm of myth, and many writings regarding the former Saint had been lost to time. Training her was a gruelling process of trial and error, and no one, especially not the High Priestess, wanted to run trials on the King. Nevertheless, her earnest, tear-filled eyes pierced into his heart.

“Thank you,” Seraphina said, gathering her composure. “I promise, I will try my best.”

“Your best will be enough,” the King said, giving her a warm smile. “Take your time, alright?” He laid his head back down, allowing her to concentrate. Seraphina closed her eyes and gripped the King’s hand even more tightly. She searched inside herself, trying to find the power she was told she possessed.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, the King lifted his head, locking his gaze on the door again. Despite his condition, his ears still worked perfectly, and he readied himself for what would surely be a frenzy of activity in his room. Moments after he positioned himself, the door burst open, and three figures hurried inside. Each froze as they realised they were being watched, and they fell to their knees in rapid succession.

“Your Highness, apologies for disturbing you,” Aeliana wheezed, struggling to keep her breathing under control. “I have come to retrieve the Saint. I can not apologise enough for her behaviour. Please, forgive her.” She rose and walked towards Seraphina, intent on dragging her away.

“Aeliana, wait a moment,” the King said. She immediately stopped at his command. “Seraphina is my guest this morning, and she shall not leave until she pleases. In fact, please go inform the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her alongside mine.”

“Of course, your Highness,” Aeliana said, fighting back her glare. She turned to leave, the two men with her rising too. The King turned and winked at Seraphina. Eldrin rolled his eyes, counting his blessings that Aeliana had not seen that. She was already going to give them an earful of complaining, seeing that would only have made things worse. She stormed past him out of the room, and he and Hadrian followed close behind, closing the doors behind them.

“Now, please continue,” the King said, giving his hand back to Seraphina. “And take as long as you need. I will make sure they will not bother you.”